Question
What was the New Mexico investigation into Epstein?
Answer
Jeffrey Epstein owned Zorro Ranch, an approximately 8,000-acre property in Stanley, New Mexico, which he used as one of his primary residences and reportedly as a site where victims were brought. Multiple survivors have described being trafficked to New Mexico, and the ranch is referenced in numerous civil complaints and legal filings.
Following Epstein’s July 2019 federal arrest, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas opened an investigation into whether violations of New Mexico state law had occurred at the Zorro Ranch property. The state’s Office of the Attorney General began gathering evidence and testimony relevant to activities at the ranch.
The New Mexico investigation moved relatively slowly. Epstein’s death in August 2019 complicated but did not end the inquiry. The AG’s office continued examining the ranch’s role in the broader trafficking network.
New Mexico state investigators also examined whether Epstein had illegally obtained a state license as a sex offender (registered sex offenders face restrictions in New Mexico), and whether those responsible for facilitating activities at the ranch could face state charges.
As of 2024, the New Mexico investigation had not resulted in criminal charges against surviving individuals, though the AG’s office named several individuals of interest and the civil litigation initiated by the USVI attorney general and victims covered activities at the ranch.
Sources
- New Mexico Attorney General press releases, 2019–2021
- Zorro Ranch search warrant applications
- Civil complaints referencing New Mexico activities